EVALUATION.

SEC. 203. EVALUATION. Section 618 is amended to read as follows: “evaluation and program information “Sec. 618. (a) The Secretary shall, directly or by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, collect data and conduct studies, investigations, analyses, and evaluations— “(1) to assess progress in the implementation of this Act; “(2) to assess the impact and effectiveness of State and local efforts, and efforts by the Secretary of the Interior, to provide— “(A) free appropriate public education to children and youth with disabilities; and “(B) early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities; and “(3) to provide— “(A) Congress with information relevant to policymaking; and “(B) State, local, and Federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior, with information relevant to program management, administration, delivery, and effectiveness with respect to such education and early intervention services. 104 STAT. 1113 “(b) (1) In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary, on at least an annual basis (except as provided in subparagraph (E)), shall obtain data concerning programs and projects assisted under this Act and under other Federal laws relating to infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, and such additional information, from State and local educational agencies, the Secretary of the Interior, and other appropriate sources, including designated lead agencies under part H (except that during fiscal year 1992 such entities may not under this subsection be required to provide data regarding traumatic brain injury or autism), including— “(A) the number of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities in each State receiving a free appropriate public education or early intervention services— “(i) in age groups 0–2 and 3–5, and “(ii) in age groups 6–11, 12–17, and 18–21, by disability category; “(B) the number of children and youth with disabilities in each State, by disability category, who— (i) are participating in regular educational programs (consistent with the requirements of section 612(5)(B) and 614(a)(1)(C)(iv)); (ii) are in separate classes, separate schools or facilities, or public or private residential facilities; or (iii) have been otherwise removed from the regular education environment; “(C) the number of children and youth with disabilities exiting the educational system each year through program completion or otherwise, by disability category, for each year of age from age 14 through 21; “(D) the number and type of personnel that are employed in the provision of— “(i) special education and related services to children and youth with disabilities, by disability category served; an “(ii) early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities; and “(E) at least every three years, using the data collection method the Secretary finds most appropriate, a description of the services expected to be needed, by disability category, for youth with disabilities in age groups 12–17 and 18–21 who have left the educational system. “(2) Beginning with fiscal year 1993, the Secretary shall obtain and report data from the States under section 613(a)(3)(A), including data addressing current and projected special education and related services needs, and data on the number of personnel who are employed on an emergency, provisional, or other basis, who do not hold appropriate State certification or licensure, and other data for the purpose of meeting the requirements of this subsection pertaining to special education and related services personnel. “(3) The Secretary shall provide, directly or by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, technical assistance to State agencies providing the data described in paragraphs (1) and (2) to achieve accurate and comparable information. “(c) (1) The Secretary shall make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, State or local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, public agencies, and private non-profit organizations, and, when necessary because of the unique nature of the study, private-for-profit organizations, for the purpose104 STAT. 1114 of conducting studies, analyses, syntheses, and investigations for improving program management, administration, delivery, and effectiveness necessary to provide full educational opportunities and early interventions for all children with disabilities from birth through age 21. Such studies and investigations shall gather information necessary for program and system improvements including— “(A) developing effective, appropriate criteria and procedures to identify, evaluate, and serve infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities from minority backgrounds for purposes of program eligibility, program planning, delivery of services, program placement, and parental involvement; “(B) planning and developing effective early intervention services, special education, and related services to meet the complex and changing needs of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities; “(C) developing and implementing a comprehensive system of personnel development needed to provide qualified personnel in sufficient number to deliver special education, related services, and early intervention services; “(D) developing the capacity to implement practices having the potential to integrate children with disabilities, to the maximum extent appropriate, with children who are not disabled; “(E) effectively allocating and using human and fiscal resources for providing early intervention, special education, and related services; “(F) strengthening programs and services to improve the progress of children and youth with disabilities while in special education, and to effect a successful transition when such children and youth leave special education; “(G) achieving interagency coordination to maximize resource utilization and continuity in services provided to infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities; “(H) strengthening parent-school communication and coordination to improve the effectiveness of planning and delivery of interventions and instruction, thereby enhancing development and educational progress; and “(I) the identification of environmental, organizational, resource, and other conditions necessary for effective professional practice. “(2) (A) The studies and investigations authorized under this subsection may be conducted through surveys, interviews, case studies, program implementation studies, secondary data analyses and syntheses, and other appropriate methodologies. “(B) The studies and investigations conducted under this subsection shall address the information needs of State and local educational agencies for improving program management, administration, delivery, and effectiveness. “(3) The Secretary shall develop and implement a process for the on-going identification of national program information needed for improving the management, administration, delivery, and effectiveness of programs and services provided under this Act. The process shall identify implementation issues, desired improvements, and information needed by State and local agencies to achieve such improvements, and shall be conducted in cooperation with State educational agencies that can ensure broad-based statewide input from each cooperating State. The Secretary shall publish for public104 STAT. 1115 comment in the Federal Register every 3 years a program information plan describing such information needs. Such program information plan shall be used to determine the priorities for, and activities carried out under, this subsection to produce, organize, and increase utilization of program information. Such program information plan shall be included in the annual report submitted under section 618 every 3 years. “(4) In providing funds under this subsection, the Secretary shall require recipients to prepare their procedures, findings, and other relevant information in a form that will maximize their dissemination and use, especially through dissemination networks and mechanisms authorized by this Act, and in a form for inclusion in the annual report to Congress authorized under subsection (g). “(d) (1) The Secretary shall enter into cooperative agreements with State educational agencies and other State agencies to carry out studies to assess the impact and effectiveness of programs, policies, and procedures assisted under this Act. “(2) The agreements referred to in paragraph (1) shall— “(A) provide for the payment of not more than 60 percent of the total cost of studies conducted by a participating State agency to assess the impact and effectiveness of this Act; and “(B) be developed in consultation with the State Advisory Panel established under section 613(a)(12), local educational agencies, and others involved in, or concerned with, the education of children and youth with disabilities and the provision of early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities. “(3) The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to participating State agencies in the implementation of the study design, analysis, and reporting procedures. “(e) (1) The Secretary shall by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, provide for special studies to assess progress in the implementation of this Act, and to assess the impact and effectiveness of State and local efforts and efforts by the Secretary of the Interior to provide free appropriate public education to children and youth with disabilities, and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities. Reports from such studies shall include recommendations for improving programs and services to such individuals. The Secretary shall, beginning in fiscal year 1993 and for every third year thereafter, submit to the appropriate committees of each House of the Congress and publish in the Federal Register proposed priorities for review and comment. “(2) In selecting priorities for fiscal years 1991 through 1994, the Secretary may give first consideration to— “(A) completing a longitudinal study of a sample of students with disabilities, examining— “(i) the full range of disabling conditions; “(ii) the educational progress of students with disabilities while in special education; and “(iii) the occupational, educational, and independent living status of students with disabilities after graduating from secondary school or otherwise leaving special education. “(B) conducting pursuant to this subsection a nationally representative study focusing on the types, number, and intensity of related services provided to children with disabilities by disability category. 104 STAT. 1116 “(C) conducting pursuant to this subsection a study that examines the degree of disparity among States with regard to the placement in various educational settings of children and youth with similar disabilities, especially those with mental retardation, and, to the extent that such disparity exists, the factors that lead such children and youth to be educated in significantly different educational settings. “(D) conducting pursuant to this subsection a study that examines the factors that have contributed to the decline in the number of children classified as mentally retarded since the implementation of this Act, and examines the current disparity among States in the percentage of children so classified. “(E) conducting pursuant to this subsection a study that examines the extent to which out-of-community residential programs are used for children and youth who are seriously emotionally disturbed, the factors that influence the selection of such placements, the degree to which such individuals transition back to education programs in their communities, and the factors that facilitate or impede such transition. “(F) conducting pursuant to this subsection a study that examines (i) the factors that influence the referral and placement decisions and types of placements, by disability category and English language proficiency, of minority children relative to other children, (ii) the extent to which these children are placed in regular education environments, (iii) the extent to which the parents of these children are involved in placement decisions and in the development and implementation of the individualized education program and the results of such participation, and (iv) the type of support provided to parents of these children that enable these parents to understand and participate in the educational process. “(f) The Secretary shall make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, State or local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, other public agencies, and private nonprofit organizations to support activities that organize, synthesize, interpret, and integrate information obtained under subsections (c) and (e) with relevant knowledge obtained from other sources. Such activities shall include the selection and design of content, formats, and means for communicating such information effectively to specific or general audiences, in order to promote the use of such information in improving program administration and management, and service delivery and effectiveness. “(g)(1)(A) The Secretary is authorized to conduct activities, directly or by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to prepare an annual report on the progress being made toward the provision of— “(i) a free appropriate public education to all children and youth with disabilities; and “(ii) early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. “(B) Not later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall transmit a copy of the report authorized under subparagraph (A) to the appropriate committees of each House of Congress. The annual report shall be published and disseminated in sufficient quantities to the education and disability communities and to other interested parties. “(2) The Secretary shall include in each annual report under paragraph (1)— 104 STAT. 1117 “(A) a compilation and analysis of data gathered under subsection (b) and under part H; and “(B) a description of findings and determinations resulting from monitoring reviews of State implementation of this part. “(3) In the annual report under paragraph (1) for fiscal year 1991 (which is published in 1992) and for every third year thereafter, the Secretary shall include in the annual report— “(A) an index of all current projects funded under parts C through G; and “(B) data reported under sections 622 and 634. “(4) The Secretary shall include in each annual report under paragraph (1) the results of research and related activities conducted under part E that the Secretary determines are relevant to the effective implementation of this Act. “(5) The Secretary shall, in consultation with the National Council on Disability and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Advisory Committee for Exceptional Children, include a description of the status of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth through age 2, and special education and related services to children with disabilities from 3 through 5 years of age (including those receiving services through Head Start, developmental disabilities programs, crippled children’s services, mental health/mental retardation agencies, and State child-development centers and private agencies under contract with local schools). “(h) There are authorized to be appropriated $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1991 and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 1992 through 1994 to carry out the purposes of this section and not more than 30 percent may be used to carry out the purposes of subsection (e) of this section.”.